Doors are an important part of any home, without a doubt. For one thing, they allow you to get from the outside of your home to the inside. Plus, they keep the things out of your home that you don’t want in (think critters or flies). And they keep things in that you don’t want out (like curious toddlers or freshly air-conditioned air). So doors rate quite high on functionality, but they’re also great at adding beauty.
That’s why, today, we’re on the topic of mobile home doors. So if you’re in the market for a new front door (or just a new coat of paint), read on. Maybe it’s time to reward your wonderful mobile home with an exciting new port of entry.
Dutch doors
If you keep up regularly with our blog, you know we just delved into Dutch doors. A Dutch door could be such an intriguing addition to your mobile home. Check out Melissa’s Dutch doors over at The Inspired Room if you don’t believe us.
Plus, you don’t have to limit them to your outside doors. Try putting a dutch door in an entry space that’s inside your mobile home. Use a Dutch door for the entrance to your bedroom or to your kids’ playroom. That way, you can have the best of both worlds—the door can be open and closed at the same time!
Sizing & buying
Obviously, if you want your door to fit into your space, you may need to do some measuring. Check out How to Measure Doors on a Mobile Home.
However, what do you do if you’ve found the perfect door, but it’s not the proper size? Well, all is not lost. Actually, you may be able to re-size that door to make it work for your home. Head to Replacing a Mobile Home Door with a Regular Door to find out how.
Of course, even if you know what type of door you’re looking for, you’ll still want to acquire it from somewhere. Similarly, you may know what color you want to paint it. But you still feel a little lost as to where to purchase it.
Exactly where you get your door may depend on what options are available in your area. Plus, it could depend on your budget and your preferences. To get you started, here are a couple of ideas for getting your hands on doors for your mobile home:
Head to the internet
Buy them online. Try a website that specializes in mobile home supplies. Or you could go straight to a company that specializes in selling and shipping doors. In addition, decor & furniture companies may also have doors available online.
Go for discounted or second-hand
Sometimes, you may find that it doesn’t matter to you whether your door is new and perfect or not. And your wallet may give you a big ol’ “thank you” for steering toward discounted or used options, too. Look for doors on an online classifieds website. Someone may be just removing and getting rid of a door that would be perfect for you.
Also, check local places like Habitat for Humanity stores. You may be able to find doors at lower prices than you’d find at your local home improvement store.
Wood doors
What could sound more simple and straightforward than a wood door? Even the two words are easy enough to spell and read. They’re beginner material. Despite the simplicity of the words, there’s plenty of variation when it comes to wood doors. And they’re not always simple in appearance, either—wood doors can be ornate, in fact.
So once you decide on a wooden door for your mobile home, there are many ways to go. Of course, there’s the possibility of an antique wood door. (If you can find one in the proper size or adequately re-size it). This could definitely add character to your mobile home’s facade.
But do choose wisely and be sure that your door fits visually with the appearance of your home. Your antique door may be beautiful in and of itself. But if it appears out-of-place with your particular mobile home, you may want to reconsider.
Options, options, options
You can choose an antique door in a natural wood color. Or you could select your old door, then paint it for your mobile home. And you’ll have even further decisions to make about whether you want the door to have windows in it or be solid on the top and bottom.
Further, will you search for an antique, wood door that has a carved front? Or do you want something with simpler with vertical wood panels and iron hardware?
On the other hand, if you want a wood door, but it doesn’t have to be antique, you can purchase pre-made or have a custom option designed. Alternatively, browse wood doors at a nearby store that specializes in doors. Even if you don’t buy your door from them, it may still help you get some visual inspiration.
Installing your wood door
As you select the type of wooden door you’d like, think about installation, too. If you’ll buy a custom-made wood door that’s a piece of art, will it be installed by a professional? Check with your door’s craftsman about who should install the door. Perhaps installation is part of their custom-building services.
However, if your door is being shipped to you by mail, then obviously, the seller will not be installing. In this case, you can find a contractor near you to install it. Or, if you have the skills, hang it yourself.
Metal doors
Naturally, you do have options other than wood. Actually, installing a metal door on your mobile home is an option. Granted, metal doors may not seem to have quite the same charm as their wood counterparts. In fact, the words may evoke images of sterile, gray entrances on industrial buildings.
Iron Doors under HBD
Yet there’s more to metal doors than you might initially think. Take a look at the options available from Iron Doors by HDB to discover that metal doors do not have to be flat and ugly. Actually, metal doors are not at all limited to the kind you see in a drab, cement-floored industrial building. And since you can paint your door, there’s actually a whole world of options for your metal door’s appearance.
Metal exterior doors might be iron as you saw above. But they can also be steel. Still, that doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily look metallic. In fact, they may be designed to look like wood.
And if it’s interior doors you have in mind—don’t disregard metal as an option. For instance, check out this beautiful barn-door style interior door. What’s not to like about its metal and glass?
Other door options
In addition to steel doors and wood doors, there are doors made of other materials, too. For example, doors can be made of fiberglass or of PVC. But even a fiberglass door may be crafted to look wood-like. Which kind of door you choose for your mobile home may depend on what’s readily available in your area. Also, it could depend on your budget and your priorities.
Screen doors
Yes, sometimes you want to use your door to keep the atmosphere outside from invading the house. Humid, 100-degree days are best left for the porch and lawn to enjoy. Having an air conditioned house is a great thing, and certainly, we try to keep all that cool air inside. Of course, sometimes that necessitates shutting the door.
On the other hand, there are times when letting the weather in the house is just what you want to do. For instance the first few warm days in spring—when the air outside is fresh and wonderful. Or the crisp, breezy days of fall, when the atmosphere is refreshing instead of oppressive.
For these days, a screen door can be the perfect compromise between an open door and a closed door. It’ll still keep stray cats or neighborhood songbirds from welcoming themselves into your living room. But it will also let in some of the refreshing goodness of the outdoors.
Get started with a screen door
A screen door is probably as close as your local home improvement store. Purchase it and install it yourself. Or, if you’re hungering for an around-the-house project to fill your spare time, make a screen door yourself.
Let’s say you want a screen door that can let in light all the time. However, you only want it to let in the air when the weather’s nice outside. This makes sense because some days the weather just may not be conducive to letting the outdoors in. So, consider getting a storm door with a retractable screen. That way, you can have a screen door when you want it—but you can shut the screen at any time.
Keep in mind that screen doors are available opening either from the right side or from the left side. Thus, check which way your own front door opens before you order. That way, both of your doors will open the same direction. And you’ll save yourself from discovering during installation that your two doors swing different ways.
Tips to take with you
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you go to put in that new door.
- As we just mentioned with screen doors, the direction the door opens is important. Before you head to your local home improvement store, be sure to note which side your door’s hinges are on. Once you’re standing in the aisle selecting a door, you don’t want to be lost on this topic. Which way does my door open again? Similarly, you don’t want to cart your beautiful selection home only to discover you’ve purchased the wrong kind of door.
- For interior doors, do yourself a favor by purchasing easy-to-install doors. Prehung doors will already be placed in their door frames. And you can even get doors where the component parts of the trim will slide into place easily. With a few finishing nails, the job should be simple.
- If you’re putting in a door between a house and a garage, be sure you know local requirements for fire safety. You may need a fire-rated door. Obviously, you need to comply with the rules. And you certainly don’t want to learn about these rules only after you’ve installed a non-compliant door. A good home inspector will notice if your door is not fire-rated but should be.
Choosing a door color
Another consideration when revamping your home’s entryway is color. The color you choose for your front door can have a huge impact on your home’s curb appeal. Perhaps you’ve noticed a front door that stuck out because its color looked out of place. If so, you know what an effect a door can have.
Although that experience may have taught you a particular color to avoid, that doesn’t tell you what color to choose. And there certainly are great colors to choose for your front door. In part, it does depend on the rest of your home. What looks phenomenal on one house may not look the same on another. You need a color that interacts with its surroundings well, combining with other elements to create a beautiful overall effect.
It’s not all black and white
Of course, black may be a go-to color for a classy front door. And red is also an option that may come to mind. But to some, those may seem blasé and overused. If you want to break out into some other delightful hues, tackle your color search in two parts.
First, look at other home’s front doors for inspiration. Note what looks beautiful and what looks out-of-place. Check out the DIY Network’s 42 Inviting Colors to Paint a Front Door.
Second, try to think through the why behind choosing certain colors for certain homes. Identify whether there are features of your home that would make some colors more appropriate than others. Take a look at Better Homes and Gardens’ The Dos and Don’ts of Choosing Front Door Colors.
Dressing up your doorway
Remember that there’s more to your entry than the door itself and the color you paint it. Here are some ideas that will add a little more to your door.
- Choose your door’s hardware well. Whether it’s an antique doorknob or a special door knocker, discover what will complement your door.
- Add plants. Why not bring some cheery or stately plant life to the area near your entryway?
- Remember the doorbell. Whether you’re choosing a traditional doorbell or a new alternative that connects to your phone, don’t forget this noise-making mechanism.
- Stop the squeaking. That’s right, mundane as it may sound, break out your spray lubricant and get some on those hinges. There’s nothing like being able to open and close a door without invading the soundscape.
Beyond the door
Maybe your new front door is just one part of updating your mobile home’s facade. In that case, head over to 12 Modern Upgrades For Your Mobile Home Porch & Outdoor Living Area. Plus, take a look at How To Make Potted Plants Look Beautiful On Your Mobile Home Porch.
About Dan Leighton
